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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23803969">Five Hugs, One Spirit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multiduel/pseuds/Multiduel'>Multiduel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adorable Cole (Dragon Age), Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Hugs, Light Angst, Varric Tethras is a Good Friend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:28:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23803969</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multiduel/pseuds/Multiduel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five people get a sort of hug from everyone's favourite non-demon</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Varric</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Varric</strong>
</p><p>
“You’re supposed to keep your hand quiet Kid.”</p><p>
Cole frowned and looked down at his fingers. He wiggled them before returning his confused expression to the dwarf sat at the table opposite him. Varric laughed, a deep hearty sound that bounced off the tavern walls and had a few patrons looking over in their direction.</p><p>
“I meant the cards Cole.”</p><p>
Cole looked at the group of cards Varric had handed him. He’d laid them out beside one another shuffling them around to a nonspecific order. Varric shook his head, a smile plastered across his face. He reached over and took a swig from his tankard, using it to gesture at Cole’s cards.</p><p>
“If I know what you have, I know how to win.”</p><p>
Cole looked down at his cards again, pushing them with the tips of his fingers, changing their order for the umpteenth time.</p><p>
“The boy doesn’t like to be near the sword, it frightens him.”</p><p>
Varric rolled his eyes but continued to smirk. He put his drink down and took his feet off the table to reach over and take the cards back. He gathered them all together and began to reshuffle the deck. Cole watched, a small pout adorning his features. He watched the cards as they danced in the dwarfs fingers.</p><p>
“Like the good old days. Almost.”</p><p>
Varric paused and looked up.</p><p>
“Hm?”</p><p>
Cole tilted his head to one side, his eyes still on the cards.</p><p>
“The sounds of the tavern, the smell of stale ale, the ever-looming threat of death. The memory makes you sad and happy.”</p><p>
Varric stopped shuffling for an instant, just stared down at the cards. Then, the moment passed, and he continued.</p><p>
“This time when I give you your cards, don’t let me see them.”</p><p>
The dwarf began to pass out an even number of cards between himself and the spirit who just watched him in silence. Varric gathered up his own cards and organized them in his hands, ready to play. Cole looked at the upturned pile Varric had placed in front of him on the table but made no move to pick them up. Varric waited, but the boy didn’t move.</p><p>
“Come on Kid.”</p><p>
Cole continued to stare. Varric gave a small sigh of exasperation and put his cards face down on the table. Varric drained the last of his drink and used the empty tankard to gesture at Cabot for another. He picked at the handle while he waited for his drink, trying to formulate a sentence.</p><p>
“I used to teach the others how to play, back in Kirkwall.”</p><p>
Cole frowned up at Varric and looked back down at the cards again. Cabot arrived at the table and filled Varric’s tankard. The human looked over at where Cole had resumed moving the cards about in some sort of order. Cabot looked back at Varric and gestured in Cole’s direction.</p><p>
“You teaching him to play?”</p><p>
“Trying to.”</p><p>
Cole picked up one of the cards from his pile and held it up for the other two to see. It had a picture of a small pink nug in the center.</p><p>
“He doesn’t like being played first.”</p><p>
Cabot and Varric exchanged a look before the bartender shuffled off to the other side of the tavern. Varric watched the spirit continue to play around with the cards with a vague air of amusement. He took a swig from his refilled drink.</p><p>
“So Kid, you want to actually play now?”</p><p>
“No.”</p><p>
Varric’s eyebrows shot up. It was unusual for Cole to be so… direct.</p><p>
“Oh.”</p><p>
Cole continued to fiddle with the cards, spinning them this way and that before finally sitting back to admire his handiwork. He looked over at Varric, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity.</p><p>
“It makes you sad to play.”</p><p>
The dwarf raised an eyebrow but said nothing, so Cole continued.</p><p>
<strong>“Yes, I know the cards are pretty Daisy, but you need to play them, in order to win. Hawke can you help Broody please, he’s holding a couple upside down.”</strong></p><p>
  
Varric felt a cold shiver run down his spine but did his best to keep his expression neutral.
</p><p>
  
“It took some of them longer to get the hang of it than others.”
</p><p>
  
Cole shifted on the bench, using a single finger to poke at his cards again.
</p><p><strong>
“Looking forward to it, every Friday, a chance to play, a chance to win and chance to pretend we’re normal.</strong> The hurt is happy, I don’t understand how to help it.”</p><p>
Cole removed his gaze from the cards and fixed it on Varric. The dwarf suddenly felt nervous under the spirits scrutiny.</p><p>
“It’s not something that can be easily explained, sometimes good memories make people sad.”</p><p>
“Why?”</p><p>
Varric fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. This wasn’t really a conversation he wanted to have several drinks in, but he wasn’t sure he’d want to have it sober either. The kid had a way of picking out both his words and his thoughts and turning them into rather personal and difficult to answer questions.</p><p>
“Well, thinking about something that made you happy but will never be able to do again, it’s a bittersweet feeling.”</p><p>
Cole picked up a single card and inspected it, not looking at Varric as he spoke.</p><p>
“If it hurts to remember, would you rather forget?”</p><p>
“No!”</p><p>
Varric blurted the word out rather loudly, turning patrons’ heads once again. Varric took a breath and shook his head.</p><p>
“No, I don’t want to forget.”</p><p>
Cole put the card down and watched the dwarf instead, his eyes narrowed.</p><p>
“So, keeping the hurt is helpful for you. Thoughts clustered together in a tight space, twisting round and round one another till you can’t pull the good parts away from the bad.”</p><p>
Varric kept his eyes on his drink.</p><p>
“Something like that.”</p><p>
Cole shifted, a frown on his face.</p><p>
“But I can take the bit that’s hurting and hide it make it-“</p><p>
“Andraste’s ass Cole! I said I didn’t want to forget, just drop it.”</p><p>
Cole lapsed into silence and slumped back into his chair like a scolded puppy. Varric pushed his tankard away and rubbed his fingers over his temples, he could feel the beginnings of a headache. He pushed back his chair and stood.</p><p>
“I’m sorry Cole, I just… I just don’t want to talk about it okay?”</p><p>
Cole didn’t respond so Varric dropped some coins on the table and left.</p><p>
The evening sun had disappeared below the skyline taking its warmth with it. The air nipped at Varric’s skin and he regretted not wearing a coat. He hustled quickly back towards his quarters, not in the least bit surprised to see a shadowy figure waiting for him there. Varric shook his head in greeting.</p><p>
“You can teleport, that’s not exactly a fair race.”</p><p>
Cole stepped to one side and allowed Varric to open the door before lingering in the doorway after the dwarf entered. Varric looked back over his shoulder to where the boy was standing, something clutched in his skinny fingers.</p><p>
“You can come in.”</p><p>
Cole looked at the floor considering it, before taking two steps inside. Varric chuckled and headed over to the fireplace to try and warm up the room.</p><p>
“Sorry about before Kid, you just caught me off guard with all the questions.”</p><p>
Cole shifted on the spot, hopping from one foot to the other like the ground was too hot to stand on. He held out his hands towards Varric, offering him the thing he was holding. Varric reached out and took it, it was his deck of cards. In his haste to leave he’d forgotten them on the table.</p><p>
“Ah, thanks.”</p><p>
Cole shrugged but still declined to speak. Varric threw some more wood on the now gently glowing fire and turned to face the spirit. Cole was staring at the floor, Varric opened his mouth to say something but Cole got there first.</p><p>
“…sorry.”</p><p>
Varric’s words caught in his throat causing him to cough.</p><p>
“For what?”</p><p>
Cole looked miserable as he continued to look anywhere but at Varric.</p><p>
“I tried to help but I made it worse. I keep making it worse.”</p><p>
Varric felt his heart twinge in his chest and he found himself reaching up as best he could to grip the boy’s shoulder in an attempt at comfort.</p><p>
“No, I’m sorry Cole, I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”</p><p>
Cole shook his head but didn’t speak. He looked so distraught Varric felt the twist in his chest again. He allowed the deck of cards to fall from his free hand letting them bounce away off the stone floor. He wrapped both his arms as best he could around the kid’s slender frame, squeezing with as much pressure as he dared without snapping the spirit in two.</p><p>
“You did nothing wrong Kid, don’t let me hear you say that.”</p><p>
Cole stood with his arms pinned to his sides, looking down at the dwarf. Not going to lose another one to the misery. Got to protect at least one. Got to save at least one. Cole nodded although Varric couldn’t see.</p><p>
“Okay.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Sera</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Sera</strong>
</p><p>
“Piss off.”</p><p>
Cole didn’t have to move to avoid the book that was thrown in his direction. It sailed harmlessly over his shoulder and hit the back wall. He stood in the doorway to Sera’s tavern room looking down at the elf who was hunched over in the floor, her back to him. He waited silently for a moment before taking another step inside and closing the door behind him. Sera turned slightly and twisted her face into a glare when she realized he had done the opposite of what she’d asked. Her eyes were puffy, cheeks and nose red and tear stained. She grabbed the nearest thing she could reach which turned out to be a shoe and hurled it at where Cole was still standing.</p><p>
“I said PISS OFF!”</p><p>
The shoe passed harmlessly through empty air as the sprit vanished and reappeared on the opposite side of the room. He watched the elf on the ground in front of him, her legs drawn up to her chest, her face pressed into her knees. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, her breathing coming out in ragged gasps. Cole crouched opposite her, his hands resting on his knees. Sera raised her head to briefly scowl at him.</p><p>
“I swear I will stick an arrow in both of your creepy eyes if you don’t get out of here.”</p><p>
Cole blinked but didn’t get up.</p><p>
“You’re hurting, a bad memory pushed down now dragged to the surface. Tasted like ashes, can see the hate and the lies, it was always a lie.”</p><p>
Sera suddenly leapt to her feet, catching the spirit slightly off guard. Cole stumbled back, landing hard on the floor, he adjusted his hat that had slipped over his eyes and looked up. Sera was now stood over him an arrow loaded in her bow, pointed directly at his head.</p><p>
“SHUT UP SHUT UP!”</p><p>
Cole tilted his head to one side looking past the arrow and up into the face of the elf. Her eyes still leaked tears, her lips drawn back into a snarl. The spirit let go of his hat and crossed his legs, letting his hands rest in his lap.</p><p>
“You think that she went bad because of you, that made her hate but that isn’t true.”</p><p>
Sera didn’t lower her bow.</p><p>
“Stop digging around in my head!”</p><p>
Cole looked down at the floor. The wood was old and rough, splinters sticking up at odd angles. He ran his fingers over them as he spoke.</p><p>
“Can’t trust anyone, better to keep a distance.”</p><p>
Cole raised his head till he was looking at her again.</p><p>
“You think that if you trust people, they will hurt you again.”</p><p>
He was cut off as an arrow shot past his head, narrowly missing his ear and making its new home in the windowsill behind him with a resounding thud. Cole didn’t flinch, merely turned his head too look at it. His gaze snapped back at the sound of Sera’s bow hitting the floor. The elf dropped to her knees; her face buried in her hands. Cole watched her for a while, contemplating his next move. He considered Varric’s words from a few days prior.</p><p>
<strong>I know you want to help everyone kid, but sometimes there isn’t anything you can do.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>
But they are hurting, I can help them understand.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
It isn’t that easy. People don’t always want to be told how to feel.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
Then, how can I help?</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
Just… I don’t know. Just be there. You gotta let people sort their own shit out sometimes.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
I don’t understand.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
I know.</strong>
</p><p>
Cole shuffled himself across the floor till he was seated next to her. She didn’t move to try and take his eyes out, so he stayed. He reached out carefully with his arm closest to the elf and inched it around her shoulders. He kept his movements slow, unsure if she was primed to bite him. He softly gripped her shoulder once his arm was in place. Sera didn’t react but her cries softened to small whimpers.</p><p>
For a long moment Cole didn’t move, just listened to the sound of her crying bitterly. With his free hand he picked at the splinters in the floor, pulling them up one by one before displaying them in size order at his feet. Below them, the sounds of the tavern grew as the afternoon faded into early evening and the building began to fill.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Iron Bull</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>The Iron Bull</strong>
</p><p>
Cole swayed from side to side from the low stone wall he was currently perched on, as if the sounds of metal hitting metal coming from the training pit was a melody. He liked the way the sun glittered off the shiny surfaces, sparkling like stars in the daytime. Shouts and yells were coming from the large group gathered to watch the show. Bets were placed as each new contestant lined up to take on the days challenge. The leader of the chargers stood proud in the center of the fighting ring, jeering for another challenger. No-one was being killed of course, just some harmless roughhousing that ultimately led to The Iron Bull picking up whoever had the balls to enter the ring with him, and carelessly tossing them out of it.</p><p>
Cole watched with bemused interest. Fighting for fun, hits without consequences. Bull had been at it for over an hour and looked like he could easily go another four, a huge grin stretching across his face as he sent another fighter flying with the heel of his foot. The qunari raised one fist in the air and bellowed across the courtyard.</p><p>
“Come on who’s next?!”</p><p>
There were cheers from the crowd, but no-one stepped forward either to battered or too afraid to try. It was almost impossible to hear anyone else over the din of the crowd. Bull called out a second time, trying to goad someone into trying.</p><p>
“Are you soldiers of the Inquisition or little farmers boys?”</p><p>
The crowd shouted back, and one man stepped forward. He held a dagger in each hand and seemed to be doing his best not to shake like a leaf. Bull grinned a wicked grin and raised his axe, preparing to charge the significantly smaller human.</p><p>
“ENOUGH.”</p><p>
A sharp shout cut through the air like a flash of lightening and the crowd went silent. Everyone dropped their gazes to the floor, not wanting to meet the eyeline of the enraged seeker who was storming her way across the courtyard.</p><p>
“You are supposed to be training, not messing around.”</p><p>
Even Bull seemed to shrink under the withering glare of Cassandra.</p><p>
“I’m sure you all have things you should be doing right now.”</p><p>
For a moment no body moved, then people began to file quickly away, splitting off into different directions till Bull was left still standing in the ring. He tried to sneak away but his overall size made that neigh impossible. Cassandra glowered at him.</p><p>
“This is the second time Bull, do not let there be a third.”</p><p>
Cole watched from his perch as Cassandra walked away, people almost diving to get out of her path. He pushed himself off the wall and wandered over to Bull who was pulling at one of the now broken straps of his armor. When the qunari noticed Cole, he broke into a huge grin.</p><p>
“Hey Kid, enjoy the show?”</p><p>
Cole stared at him for a moment then shrugged.</p><p>
“You were hitting each other.”</p><p>
Bull laughed.</p><p>
“Yeah, that’s kinda the whole idea.”</p><p>
“But it wasn’t real.”</p><p>
Bull shook his head, leaning his axe against the fence that encircled the training pit.</p><p>
“Nah, it just a bit of fun. Plus, it helps to keep me in shape.”</p><p>
“You can change shape?”</p><p>
Bull laughed again and ruffled the spirits sandy blonde hair, the force of it causing Cole to stumble slightly.</p><p>
“So, you think you could take me on?”</p><p>
Cole shrugged again, not fully understanding the question. Bull smirked.</p><p>
“Modest huh? I guess we’ll find out next time.”</p><p>
Cole looked confused.</p><p>
“You want me to try and hurt you?”</p><p>
Bull leaned against the fence causing it to sag slightly.</p><p>
“You think you could?”</p><p>
Cole blinked at him.</p><p>
“But I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p>
Bull raised an eyebrow and chuckled.</p><p>
“Your concern is touching.”</p><p>
The qunari threw an arm around the boys’ skinny shoulders.</p><p>
“Don’t worry Kid, we’ll make a charger out of you yet.”</p><p>
He pulled Cole into his chest in a crushing embrace that forced the boy’s face sideways against Bull’s exposed leathery skin. Bull roared out a laugh that shook the mountains and released him. Cole took a few staggering steps backwards and ended up on the floor. He watched as Bull stomped off towards the tavern. The spirit rubbed at the side of his face before reaching up to straighten his hat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Cassandra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Cassandra</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
Blood feels like ice in my veins. Tiny needles pushing up under my skin. After all this time, after all this hurt and the answer was there. How many lives could have been saved?</strong>
</p>
<p>
Cole dithered around on the stairs leading up to the small alcove above the blacksmith. The Inquisitor and the others had been gone for a few days and only returned a few hours ago. Cole had felt something was off before the group had even come through the gates. He’d tracked the source of the agitation to where Cassandra was sitting, hunched over in front of a book at a small wooden table. He watched her from the steps debating on going over or not. His desire to help conflicting with his fear of the seeker. His decision was made for him when she noticed him stood there.</p>
<p>
“Get out.”</p>
<p>
Cole didn’t move, just stayed three quarters of the way up the steps watching her. Cassandra glared over her shoulder at him, but it quickly softened into a look of exhaustion and she turned back to the book.</p>
<p>
“This isn’t something you can help with Cole.”</p>
<p>
Cole said nothing but slowly climbed the remainder of the steps and moved till he stood behind her. Cassandra ignored him and continued to read the book, her hands clenched into fists that squeezed tighter with each sentence.</p>
<p>
How could they have done nothing, after all that happened. How could they just sit back and watch the world break apart?</p>
<p>
Cole lingered over her shoulder for a few minutes trying to decide what to do. Cassandra spoke suddenly breaking the silence.</p>
<p>
“Is it possible to be guilty of something, even if you didn’t know it existed?”</p>
<p>
Cole moved around the table and sat down in the chair opposite her without waiting to be asked. He rested both his hands on the wood and watched her carefully. She was still looking down at the pages, running her fingers of each of the words as she read them. Eventually she sighed and looked up at the boy across from her.</p>
<p>
“I don’t suppose you have the ability to turn back time, do you?”</p>
<p>
Cole frowned and shook his head. Cassandra let out a dry laugh.</p>
<p>
“No, that would be too easy.”</p>
<p>
Cole flicked his eyes down to the book and back up to Cassandra.</p>
<p>
“It is hurting you to think that you could have prevented some of the bad things from happening.”</p>
<p>
Cassandra dropped her eyeline back to the table. Cole cocked his head to one side.</p>
<p>
“But you didn’t know.”</p>
<p>
“Didn’t I?”</p>
<p>
She kicked her chair away and stood leaning over the book, her hands resting on the table either side of it.</p>
<p>
“All this time, and a solution was right there. The chance at preventing war, right there.”</p>
<p>
Cole said nothing, just studied the seekers face as a hundred different emotions flashed over it. He was about to speak when Cassandra suddenly slammed her fist against the table causing the old wood to split and Cole to jump in his seat. Cassandra swiped the book off the table and marched towards the nearby window, her breathing ragged as she stood with her back to Cole. The spirit was still seated, watching her carefully. She was resting one hand on the wall, the other covered her face. Slowly Cole got to his feet, pushing his chair back before sliding it back under the table again. He stepped over to where the book had fallen and bent down to pick it up. He placed it back on the table.</p>
<p>
“I think part of me always knew.”</p>
<p>
Cassandra still lent against the wall, she’d removed her hand from her face, running it through her hair before dropping it down to hang loosely at her side. Cole wandered over to stand behind her again. As bad as the rest of them. A liar. A traitor. A murderer. Cassandra’s shoulders trembled as she folded her arms across her chest and tried to breath evenly.</p>
<p>
“Maybe if I’d... maybe I could have-”</p>
<p>
Her words cut off as a pair of arms snaked their way around her sides to meet around her middle. Cole pressed his cheek on her shoulder blades and rested his head there, attempting to use his arms to squeeze with comforting pressure. Cassandra inhaled sharply but her shoulders stopped shaking.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cole</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Cole</strong>
</p>
<p>
The cold from the damp stone he was on had seeped in through his skin to reside inside his bones. Everything ached, a deep, dull kind of ache that lingered in every muscle. Something sharp was digging into his lower back but he didn’t have the energy to move. Everything was dark, it had been for a long while. The guards used to come and light the candles along the corridor. He hadn’t seen any of them for a while. He hadn’t seen anything for a while. He wasn’t sure if his eyes were open or closed. There was no difference. He used to be able to create light with his fingers. A small glow that brought comfort in small dark spaces. He wanted to create that light again, but his arms wouldn’t respond to his instructions.</p>
<p>
He wasn’t sure if he was sitting or lying down. His skin had gone fully numb, the cold and wet turning it to stone. He could still feel the knives in his stomach. Like someone was dragging a blade through his guts over and over. He wanted to tell them to stop. It hurt. Stop it. Please.</p>
<p>
Something was moving nearby. Bunny? Was she still hiding? He wanted to tell her to come out, but he couldn’t speak. The movement was louder, right by his head. He needed to find her first. Before anyone else did.</p>
<p>
The movement stopped.</p>
<p>
Bunny. Come back. You mustn’t let him find you.</p>
<p>
The darkness persisted.</p>
<p>
Wait, where am I?</p>
<p>
Why does it hurt?</p>
<p>
<em>"Forgotten."</em></p>
<p>
Where am I?</p>
<p>
<em>"Left behind in the dark. No-one remembers."</em></p>
<p>
I don’t want to be here.</p>
<p>
<em>“Helpless, hurting. Broken pieces to be disposed of.”</em></p>
<p>
I want to go home.</p>
<p>
<em>“You cannot.”</em></p>
<p>
Please.</p>
<p>
I don’t want to stay here.</p>
<p>
I’m afraid of the dark.</p>
<p>
<em>“You will be safe soon.”</em></p>
<p>
What about Bunny.</p>
<p>
I can’t leave her.</p>
<p>
She’ll be afraid.</p>
<p>
<em>“You'll see her again.”</em></p>
<p>
I’m scared.</p>
<p>
Please.</p>
<p>
I don’t want to stay here.</p>
<p>
<em>“You will leave soon.”</em></p>
<p>
Where am I going?</p>
<p>
<em>“Away from here.”</em></p>
<p>
I don’t want to be on my own.</p>
<p>
<em>“I am here.”</em></p>
<p>
The boy wasn’t sure if his eyes were open or closed. He wasn’t sure if he was sitting up or laying down. He didn’t know what he did to deserve this. But the soft warmth that surrounded him was enough to bring him some comfort as his mind slipped away into oblivion.</p>
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